God wants to be known! God had been revealing truths about himself down through history. Moses glorified God. Isaiah glorified God. Creation glorifies God. Jesus’s life, death and resurrection was the ultimate message from God revealing what God is like. What about us? How are we to glorify God?
God’s glory in our redemption. In his introduction to Ephesians, Paul asserts three times that the reason behind the whole work of redemption was “in order that we….might be for the praise of his glory” (1:6, 12, 14). He blessed us…chose us…predestined us to be adopted…to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Eph. 1:3-6). As redeemed sinners we are to become glory-reflectors. How so?
When we imitate Christ, we glorify God.
Paul reminds us that the old covenant was so glorious that the Israelites could not look on Moses’ face but the new covenant is “even more glorious” and practical. Why? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17,18; read 3:7-18).
How does the Spirit turn us into glory-reflectors? The Spirit leads us to imitate Christ and as we do, we are transformed from “glory to glory.” We make his life our model and become his witnesses. People go through life and conclude that there is no God. But we who are Christians counter their unbelief by what we display in our lives.
When we show kindness, we declare that there is a loving God who changed our selfish bent from thoughtlessness to concern for others.
When we show generosity, we show in some small ways the infinite generosity of God.
When we confront dishonesty and respond with honesty, we glorify God’s holy integrity.
When we express thanksgiving, we highlight the goodness of God.
When we pray, we show our faith in our invisible Father.
When we confront falsehood with truth, we glorify Jesus who is the truth.
When we obey God’s laws, we proclaim our belief in a lawgiver who orders the universe.
When we show patience in suffering, we glorify God.
When we live holy lives, we reflect God’s holiness.
When we praise and worship, we tell forth God’s glory through describing his attributes and actions.
Through the Spirit, we become glory-reflectors. To glorify God is to reveal, explain, unveil, declare, show something of God’s invisible attributes—as uniquely expressed by Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection. We glorify God by how we act, and what we say.
Satan resists the revelation of God’s glory
God wants people to know that all he does is very good—all for the benefit and blessing of mankind. But just as in the Garden of Eden, Satan seeks to sow ruin, falsehood, and discord in order to obscure God’s glory. How wonderful life on this earth ought to be. But “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4). So instead of glory, we see wars and broken marriages, dishonesty, lying, cheating, greed, and every evil work.
Our mission, to be glory-reflectors
If the knowledge of God’s glorious attributes, most clearly seen in Jesus and the gospel, is veiled “it is veiled in those that are perishing.” God calls us to counter the devil’s evil campaign by being glory-reflectors in all we do. In this way we will participate in spreading the knowledge of God’s glory to the ends of the earth. God calls us to counter the lies of the devil by showing through our lives that they are false. “God made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). God shines his redemptive light into our hearts so that we might in turn throw the spotlight on Christ and the gospel.
This is our mission—spreading true knowledge about God. God saves us through the gospel that we might become glory-reflectors. “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
Do you love God’s creation? Do you sometimes sense God speaking to you while walking down a country road or gazing at the seashore? Do the clouds and moon amaze you?
Some years ago we moved from the city of Toronto to a house in the country. The scenes down our country road captivated us. I’ve written about those experiences in this revised version of that original book. The book draws practical applications that are true to Scripture and glorifying to our great Creator from life out in the countryside.
We discovered the fingerprints of God in wind and waves, the first snow and spring flowers, fallen leaves and singing birds, butterflies and stinging nettles. I want to share our discoveries with you.
The paperback book will be available through Amazon in a week or two. The ebook is now ready for pre-order.
As Christians we want to please God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Our desire to please God is synonymous with living a life that glorifies God. “So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20). But what does it mean to glorify God? Since I often use common biblical words like these without thinking too deeply, I concluded that I need to clarify their meaning.
The Glory of God
To understand glorify, we first need to consider its root, glory, which will have a fundamental bearing on what we do to make that glory known. Biblical scholar, Augustus Strong defines glory as “magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace, or majesty as belonging to God or Christ.” But what is that excellence that God possesses? Consider several encounters that biblical characters had with his glory.
God’s Glory in Moses’ experience. When Moses descended from Sinai after receiving the ten commandments from God, he wore a veil to cover his face. His face was glorious, too brilliant to look at. Like a mirror, reflecting the sun, Moses proximity to God must have reflected some of God’s radiance.
Moses experience of proximity to God, led him to appeal for more understanding of God’s glory. “Show me your glory. And the LORD said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But, he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Ex 33: 18-20). God then put Moses in a cleft in the rock, covered him with his hand as his glory passed by. This passage indicates that glory is a reflection of God’s attributes including his goodness, mercy, and compassion and those implied by his Name. It also reminds us that the full revelation of God’s being is beyond our ability to absorb—hidden behind blinding light. For example, we can’t see God’s omnipotence, eternity, omnipresence, or omniscience. They are unique to God. Perhaps these attributes are implied by God’s name, LORD, I am that I am. God can only be compared with himself.
God’s Glory in Isaiah’s experience. Isaiah describes another instance in which glory from God is seen as a blinding brilliance. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted … Above him were seraphim, … And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. ‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty’” (Isaiah 6:1-5). In this passage, glory may be defined as the magnificence of God’s holiness, a revelation of God’s holy otherness.
Might God’s glory be a synonym for all of God’s indescribable attributes? Let’s continue our study.
God’s glory and the shepherds
In the Christmas story, an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds outside Bethlehem announcing the birth of a “Saviour … who is Christ, the Lord” and “the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds and they were terrified” (Luke 2:9). Then a choir of angels appeared “praising God and saying glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:13,14). The shepherds went to see the newborn Christ after which they returned “glorifying and praising God” along the way back. (Luke 2:20).
Here glory is used in several senses. It was a unique, brilliance that was so unnatural to the shepherds that they were terrified. They recognized it as having come from God. This is not unlike the brilliance that stunned Isaiah. In this record, both the angels and the shepherds glorified God, one through their message and the blinding brilliance that surrounded them and the other by what they told each other on the way back from visiting the newborn Jesus. Firstly, the glorious light seems to symbolize the unfathomable greatness of God. Secondly, the message of both the angels and the shepherds glorifies God by praising him for this amazing birth-event. So glorifying God can occur through blinding light or through celebrating what God does. Glorifying God can mean praise and worship as we join the shepherds in singing about Jesus.
God’s Glory in Creation. In the Christmas narrative the angel cried out, “the whole earth is full of his glory.” Psalm 19, verse one, explains, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Paul writes, “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The stars, the sun, the moon glorify God. The tides, the weather, the lakes, the trees, the flowers—all things declare the glory of God. God is invisible but the things he has created and sustains demonstrate his attributes. Just as a great building displays the brilliance of an architect. As Bach’s musical compositions tell us something of his genius. A beautiful painting shows the skill of the artist. Just so, the whole universe displays God’s creative attributes. But that display is limited to certain attributes without displaying truth about his person.
God’s glory in the Son of God’s incarnation. God wants to be known. To demonstrate that purpose, in the fullness of time, God sent his Son, to most uniquely reveal God’s glory. During Jesus’s transfiguration on a high mountain, the glory he displayed was blinding. “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matt. 17:2). In this brief instance, Jesus reflected in human form something of the glory of his pre-incarnate deity. During the rest of his time on earth, his deity was veiled but attributes never before seen were revealed..
John makes it clear. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:14,18). Revealing God’s glory was Jesus’s mission.
As Jesus contemplated his coming death, he was troubled but knew he must not shrink from the coming humiliation. He prayed, “Father, glorify your name!” upon which a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:28). Clearly, the Father had glorified Jesus during his incarnation but there was another part of this glory-mission yet to be fulfilled. “Have glorified it,” indicates that by demonstrating divine qualities such as moral holiness, love, mercy, and truth Jesus revealed during his lifetime much about what God is like.
In his high priestly prayer Jesus prayed, “Father, the time has come, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). His embrace of death for our sins was an indispensable step in manifesting God’s nature. In his passion, Jesus glorified God in ways never before revealed. Jesus manifested God’s infinite, sacrificial, unselfish love, and grace.
God wants to be known! God had been revealing truths about himself down through history. Moses glorified God. Isaiah glorified God. Creation glorifies God. Jesus’s life, death and resurrection was the ultimate message from God revealing what God is like. What about us? How are we to glorify God?
In the final part of this study, we’ll apply this to our lives.
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
The prophetic office has ceased while the gift continues as prophetic preaching. In the previous posts I demonstrated from Scripture the temporary nature of the prophetic office by recourse to three categories of biblical data.
Prophets appeared at periodic intervals in history—never continuously.
The inspired revelations God gave them were rarely predictive. God used them to speak his message to people in specific historical situations.
Prophecies were authenticated both by their perfect accuracy and by signs, wonders and miracles. Any predictions they brought had to be 100% accurate or be declared false.
The church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). The inspired prophetic office has ceased just as the apostolic office has ceased. Revelation in complete. There is no further need for inspired prophets but as a non-inspired ministry gift it continues. Why do I say that? Four categories of evidence lead me to this conclusion.
PROPHETS AS PREACHERS
God chose Moses, Isaiah, and John the Baptizer to not only communicate inspired revelation,-he also gifted them to preach the Word with power. The Greek word for prophecy means simply to make public utterance or to speak out.
Moses spoke to Israelites groaning under Egyptian bondage. Isaiah preached to a nation in declension. Paul appealed to a Corinthian church in disarray due to scandals. The relevance of their messages to particular situations, rendered their preaching memorable to their audiences. Besides these through whom God gave us inspired Scripture, the New Testament mentions other prophets.
The five men, including Barnabas and Saul, who gathered to worship God in Acts thirteen, are called, “prophets and teachers.” The text denotes either that there were at least two prophets, or that all five had both the gift of teaching and that of prophecy. I prefer this latter view. (Acts 13:1)
In Antioch we read, “Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.” (Acts 15:32) Of Paul and Barnabas we read, “But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.” (verse 35) We conclude that a prophetic ministry involves preaching and teaching. These references multiply the number of prophets far beyond those few who gave us our inspired Scriptures. Other references abound. At least one prophet attended Timothy’s commissioning. (1 Tim. 4:14) Several must have been present in Ephesus. (Eph. 4)
First Corinthians contains an extended description of the gift and how it contrasts with tongues. (Chapter 14) “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” (1 Cor. 14:29) If we count both participating prophets and evaluating prophets there must have been between five and ten in Corinth. Paul indicates that a considerable number of men with the gift of prophecy took turns speaking to the Corinthian church. “You can all prophecy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (vs. 31) New Testament texts, then, specifically mention prophets in Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth and Ephesus. One quickly gains the impression that prophets commonly ministered in the early churches, functioning as preacher/teachers.
B. EXHORTATIONS TO SEEK THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
If God had reserved the gift of prophecy exclusively for those he chose to lay the foundation of the church, we would not find a general exhortation to seek the gift. We read, however, “Eagerly desire the greater gifts.” One of the greatest is prophecy. Paul specifically states, “Desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy, . . . . I would rather have you prophesy . . . . Be eager to prophesy.” (12:31; 14:1,5,39)
These exhortations would be meaningless unless meant to encourage, not only the Corinthians, but believers today to seek the gift. To deny this is to empty the epistles of their relevance.
Each of the three main New Testament gift lists mentions the gift of prophecy. (See Romans 12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:7-11, Eph. 4:11-13) Only the gift of teaching is mentioned as consistently. This frequency of mention, in epistles of both early and late origin, shows that its use is crucial. Prophecy is one of the five key equipping gifts in Ephesians chapter four. Prophets join apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers as men given to “prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up” (vs. 12). Since equipping for service is a continuing need in all churches, the mention of these five gifts, including prophecy, indicates that in some sense these gifts continue. (In other material I explain my view that while the office of inspired apostles ceased—there were only 12—the gift as missionary church planting continues. Church— No Spectator Sport, Chapter 9.)
C. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPHETIC GIFT
First Corinthians, chapters twelve through fourteen gives a detailed description of the gift of prophecy. In the course of pointing out the necessity of love in gift exercise Paul writes, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, . . . but have not love I am nothing.” (13:2) This text shows that prophecy deals with fathoming mysteries and knowledge.
In the fourteenth chapter Paul establishes the superiority of prophecy over tongues. In verse three and four we read, “Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort . . . . He who prophesies edifies the church.” The gift builds up the church by applying God’s Word to people’s specific needs. They strengthen those who are weak. They encourage the discouraged. They comfort the sorrowing. Non-inspired modern prophets mirror the ministry of the inspired prophets of old. God specifically gifts them to apply the Word to particular situations in their churches.
Further we read, “Prophecy, however, is for believers.” Prophecy is exercised so that, “Everyone may be instructed and encouraged” (vs 32). Of course, prophecy also profoundly affects unbelievers, in a way tongues cannot. The unbeliever, hearing tongues speaking, thinks “that you are out your mind.” (vs. 23) But when an unbeliever hears prophesying, “He will be convinced by all that he is a sinner . . . secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God exclaiming, ‘God is really among you.'” (vs. 24,25) While the gift of prophecy is mainly directed towards believers, God also uses it to bring unbelievers under deep conviction.
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We can define prophecy, in its continuing form, as follows.
The gift of prophecy is that spiritual ability to communicate biblical truth in powerful and relevant ways so that people sense a word from God directed to them in their situation. It is Spirit-filled preaching that may include instruction, encouragement, exhortation, or comfort.
Note the difference between inspired prophecy and edifying prophecy. Inspired prophecies have an unbidden, Spirit-produced element to them as if the Spirit overrides the will of the prophet. “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). But Paul describes the gift of prophecy in the church as orderly and controlled. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32) Prophecy, in this form, involves orderly presentations of truth which flow from the speaker’s mind and will. This text seems to demonstrate a discontinuity between inspired prophecy and, what I am calling edifying prophecy, which owes its origin (under the Spirit’s general guidance) to the speakers’ own personality and preparation.
Inspiration is evidence of the absolute superintendence by the Spirit, while illumination is evidence of the relative control by the Spirit. A picture of two kinds of prophecy emerges; inspired prophecy that produced the inerrant canon of Holy Scripture (and occasionally included prediction) and prophecy as convicting and edifying preaching. Prophetic preaching draws its power from a broadly based acquaintance with Scripture and ongoing dependence on the Spirit. It includes the ability to size up situations and needs and bring a relevant message. Prophetic preaching leads to conviction, consolation, rebuke, or encouragement. Prophecy, as a continuing gift, requires the illumination of the Spirit but not the inspiration of the Spirit.
The gift of prophecy is preaching. Paul exhorts Timothy to “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tim. 4:2).
When any Christian group claims divine authority for one of their pronouncements, they invite disaster. History is littered with the heretical wreckage produced by this propensity to claim divine inspiration for human messages or practices. No wonder, traditional Pentecostals react with alarm to the claims of modern “prophets.” The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God wrote, “Arbitrary and absolute direction by a prophetic gift is not in accordance with New Testament teaching . . . . A study of church history indicates that every group of people who have claimed to restore apostolic authority to the Church and its government have been arbitrary and demanding. Those who come under their leadership find themselves under bondage.”[i]
D. PROPHECY AS VIEWED IN CHURCH HISTORY.
Flynn writes, “The Early Church had many prophets, who usually employed their gift in their own local congregation. Some eminent prophets itinerated. The Didache, an early manual of church practice, commanded that wandering prophets be supported. ‘Every true prophet who shall settle among you is worthy of his support.'”[ii]
What an intriguing tradition! This stipulation of the Didache demonstrates that although the canon was complete, the early church believed in the continuity of a prophetic ministry. It presents these early prophets as resident preachers. Interestingly, this reference points out a fundamental difference between apostles and prophets. The Didache warned that apostles, (since their ministry was pioneer church planting) should not be supported over a long period. Prophets, however, could be supported as resident ministers because they laboured to edify already established churches.
Calvin gives his view. “By prophesying I do not understand the gift of foretelling the future, but the science of interpreting Scriptures, so a prophet is an interpreter of the will of God.”[iii] Interpretation of the will of God underscores a preacher’s need to size up a situation and then bring relevant Scripture to bear on the central issues involved.
Berkhof, Criswell and many others could be quoted in this regard. J.I. Packer sums it up: “Rather than supposing prophecy to be a long-gone first-century charisma now revived and therefore to be dressed up in verbal clothes that will set it apart from all other forms of Christian communication over the past eighteen or nineteen centuries, we should realize that it has actually been exhibited in every sermon or informal ‘message’ that has had a heart-searching, home-coming’ application in its hearers, ever since the church began. Prophecy has been and remains a reality whenever and wherever Bible truth is genuinely preached–that is, spelled out and applied, whether from a pulpit or more informally. Preaching is teaching God’s revealed truth with application.“[iv] (Italics mine.)
The kingdom needs preaching prophets today as never before! “History tells of no significant church growth and expansion that has taken place without preaching (significant, implying virility and staying power is the key word there.) What history points to, rather, is that all movements of revival, reformation, and missionary outreach seem to have had preaching (vigorous, though on occasion very informal) at their center, instructing, energizing, sometime purging and re-directing and often spearheading the whole movement. It would seem, then, that preaching is always necessary for a proper sense of mission to be evoked and sustained anywhere in the church.”[v]
The gift of prophecy, in its continuing form, is heart- searching, applicational preaching deeply rooted in biblical exposition. Paul encourages us to aspire to great gifts such as this one. If you find such a desire burning within take steps to feed the flame by taking appropriate action. I have listed in the footnote the titles of some good books on preaching.[vi]
Let us all pray for a revival of powerful preaching!
-Samuel Logan Jr., ed., The Preacher and Preaching, Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1986
-Sidney Greidanus, The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
Confusion about the continuity or completion of the prophetic office prevails among Christians today. The Church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). Since there were only twelve founding apostles, it is reasonable to suppose that the number of inspired prophets was also limited. Let’s look at what the Bible says about prophets.
First, prophets were not present throughout the whole OT period. Certainly, all Old Testament Scripture is prophetic in nature. Christ declared, “All the prophets and the law prophesied until John (the Baptist),” indicating that even the Law was prophetic. (Matt. 11:13) Further, Peter writes, “No prophecy of Scripture . . . was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21).
God revealed Old Testament Scripture at widely spaced intervals; not in a continuous process. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways” (Heb. 1:1). Periods of revelation were interspersed with long periods of prophetic silence. Moses, recipient of the Law was the first major prophet. “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10).
Prophets were not present during the period of the Judges and Joshua. Vision was rare. (See 1 Sam. 3:1) Finally, Samuel arose to take up the prophetic mantle. Through the kingdom period which followed the era of Samuel, as priests became increasingly corrupt, prophets as God’s voice became more common. Elijah and Elisha prophesied during this period. God raised up the schools of the prophets to compensate for priestly failure. Prophets of this era, however, did not add to the inspired literature that became Holy Scripture.
The golden period of prophetic greatness extended for about four hundred years, from approximately 800 BC. to 400 BC. During this era prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, produced major works. Others, such as Amos, Hosea, and Malachi, contributed powerful, but short prophetic collections.
Malachi, the last of the Old Testament writing prophets, ushered in four hundred years of prophetic silence until the rise of John, the Baptizer, who introduced Christ. Jesus, as prophet, priest, and king shepherded a new prophetic era which produced the New Testament canon.
Secondly, biblical prophets were inspired vessels used by God to convey messages which usually became books of the Bible. Their messages were God-breathed—inspired. “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 5:21). Peter explains, “No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 5:20). Hebrews reminds us that, “God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets” (Heb. 1:1). Prophecy in this sense is synonymous with revelation. Paul reminds us that the mystery of Christ and the church, “which was not made known unto men in other generations . . . . Has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets” (Eph. 3:5). That era has ended.
Surely, no self-proclaimed modern prophet would claim that their messages are an addition to Scripture! Note how emphatically Paul links his prophetic and apostolic credentials to his reception of revelation. “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preach is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11,12). In this inspired sense, the office of prophets has ceased. The Bible is complete.
Although traditional Pentecostals believe that the prophetic office continues in some sense in our day, they express alarm at many of the claims of modern prophets. Raymond Carlson–General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God–warns; “Prophecy by the New Testament apostles was different in authority from that of all other Christians in local churches. The writings of the New Testament are God’s very words . . . . No words spoken today can ever be on a par with the inerrant Scriptures.”[i]
Thirdly, we must distinguish between prediction and preaching in prophetic ministry. On the whole, prophets were not predictors–foretellers–but rather forthtellers, preachers. Moses and John the Baptizer, two of the greatest prophets of all time, recorded little or no prediction. With minor exceptions, the entire content of Moses’ prophetic ministry was either history, ethical statements (law), or exhortations for Israel to heed God’s directives. He did warn them about the consequences of disobeying the law and he did predict that there would be another prophet raised up like him.
In the main, prophets were forthtellers, preachers, appointed by God to herald his Word in a particular context. Consider Moses. God told him, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Ex. 4:12) Moses went with a message from God. Likewise, God commanded Isaiah to, “Go and tellthis people” (Is. 6:9ff).
In a similar way, the prophetic ministry of the apostles contained a minimal of prediction. They spoke to specific needs in concrete situations. The gospels and epistles each appeal to different audiences. Even the most predictive of books, Revelation, brought a message from God to the seven churches of Asia in specific historical situations.
To cry out for a return of the prophetic office out of a desire to listen to predictions, is to demand something of the prophetic office that, even in its heyday, it rarely exhibited. They were great preachers presenting truth. Jesus predicted that the Spirit would lead the apostles into all truth. Did he or did he not? Is the Bible complete or flawed? If he did what he predicted he would do, we have no further need of new revelations.
Paul wrote to Timothy that Scripture contains all the truth necessary for any Christian to be mature and complete in Christ. (See 2 Tim. 3:15-17.) Why this continual clamour for prophets to bring a “revelation,” a “word from God,” a “prediction” when the Scriptures contain the adequate, all-encompassing, and inerrant revelation of God’s will for mankind? To demand the revival of the gift of prophecy, as manifest in biblical prophets, is to devalue the Scriptures, and to encourage the manufacture of counterfeit miracles to verify these modern ‘prophets’.
Fourthly, prophecy must be tested by Scripture and any prediction prove to be 100% accurate. Superficially, many claim that miraculous signs attest their own ministry’s authenticity. We need to remember that the magic of the Egyptian magicians initially mimicked the signs Moses performed. In India, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist gurus echo Muslim pirs in claiming power to effect miraculous cures. Some even demonstrate their power by walking on fire. But the Bible warns, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Testing a prophet requires a carefully comparison of their teaching with Scripture. John urges the readers of his first epistle to check whether a prophet’s teaching enshrined or denied the reality of Jesus’ incarnation and deity. (1 John 4:2,3) Much earlier God had warned Moses not to be impressed by miraculous signs but to check the content. “If a prophet . . . appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder . . . takes place, and he says, ‘Let us worship other gods,’ you must not listen” (Deut. 13:1-3). Conformity to revealed truth takes precedence over startling manifestations of signs.
Prophetic prediction must not only be true to Scripture but perfectly accurate. Since God can predict the future with 100% accuracy, any prophecy of his, will come true. An accuracy rate less than 100% necessarily shows that the bearer’s prediction did not originate with God. “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously” (Deut. 18:22). A failed prophecy called for the perpetrator to be sentenced to death. All New Testament prophecy practiced in the early church passed this litmus test. (See Acts 11:27,28; 21:10,11) Perfect accuracy confirms a prophet’s credentials.
Sadly, many who claim the prophetic gift today, excuse inaccuracy. Several years ago Michael G. Maudlin set out to investigate the excitement generated by reports of the predictions of “The Kansas City Prophets. He wrote; “These men–pastor Mike Bickle, and prophets such as Bob Jones, John Paul Jackson, and Paul Cain are creating a stir in charismatic circles. They claim that the prophetic gift should be restored in the church, that prophecy is a natural, biblical means for God to speak to his people, and that (here’s the apocalyptic part) this increased prophetic activity is a sign of the emergence of the last-days’ victorious church.”[ii] The Kansas City Fellowship joined the Vineyard group of churches under John Wimber, who encouraged believers to seek the gift of prophecy.[iii]
The stir created by Vineyard and KCF moved traditional Pentecostals to issue cautionary statements. Indeed, the Vineyard itself has delineated a series of checks and balances to test prophecy. “All KCF and Vineyard leaders stress that the prophetic movement is immature and apt to make mistakes (except for, they stress, Paul Cain) . . . . The church allows for a generous margin of error in prophetic words . . . . Grudem, who teaches theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and attends a Vineyard-affiliated church, argues that every prophet today will make mistakes.”[iv]
Grudem claims that, “The Old Testament prophets who could not make mistakes without being declared false and put to death . . . in the New Testament are not prophets but apostles . . . . There is a discontinuity between the canonical revelation found in the Bible and the revelation received by modern-day prophets.” But as Robert Thomas, who teaches New Testament at California’s Master’s Seminary says, “How can you have inspired utterance that has error?”[v]
The Vineyard magazine, Equipping, contained a series of articles introducing prophetic ministry. In article after article the magazine attested to the veracity of the revelations that God has given this man and that. In the same breath it warns that prophets make mistakes. “Of course, prophets today do receive revelations from God. But in understanding and reporting what they receive, and in knowing what is from God and what is from their own minds or from a subtle suggestion of the Enemy, prophets do make mistakes . . . . Every prophet today will make mistakes.”[vi]
Sorry, the Bible is clear. Prophets must be 100% accurate or be declared false.
To review: 1. Prophets appeared at periodic intervals in history. 2. God called them to speak and write what he revealed to them. These revelations were rarely predictive. In the main they contained God’s Word for specific historical situations. Prophets were mainly powerful preachers. 3. Predictive prophecies were authenticated by their perfect accuracy.
Much more could be discussed on this topic. Having asserted that inspired prophecy as a gift or office has ceased, I am not saying that prophetic gifting does not continue in the New Testament Church as prophetic preaching. Uninspired prophecy continues as a preaching and teaching gift requiring the exegesis of the biblical text. Today’s prophetic preachers do not claim inspiration but use the inspired text of the Bible as their source. For a fuller treatment of this subject see my book Church-No Spectator Sport available through Amazon. Time permitting, I’ll write a third post in this series describing the limited sense in which the gift of prophecy continues. Of course, none of the above is written to limit God. As he used Agabus to predict a famine and warn Paul (see Acts 11:27,28; 21:10,11), he can at any time raise up a predictive prophet. However, such a rare occurrence must be discerned by Scripture. God is sovereign. May he be glorified in the church through the exegesis of his inspired Word.
[i] G. Raymond Carlson, The Role of the Prophet Today, Article in The Pentecostal Testimony, March 1991, p. 22
[ii] Michael G. Maudlin, Seers in the Heartland, Article in Christianity Today, Jan. 14, 1991, p. 18
[iii] John Wimber, Introducing Prophetic Ministry, Article in Equipping, Fall 1989, pp. 4-6
[vi] Wayne A. Grudem, What Should be the Relationship Between Prophet & Pastor? Article in Equipping, Fall 1989, p. 8
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) See especially, Doctrine in Denim.
Our pastor gave a helpful message today that mirrored my experience this week. He spoke on Psalm 119:25-32. He had two main points; 1. A desperate soul in prayer, 2. A determined soul in prayer.
The Psalmist is weary, he feels laid low in the dust. But he chooses to pray and to meditate on God’s wonders and on his word, his decrees, his law, his truth. By the time he gets to the eighth verse of this stanza, he is running because the word has set his heart free.
Earlier in the week I felt low, discouraged, even depressed. I’m not one of those eternally joyful, happy people. I’m more melancholic. Down through the years God has taught me that when in such a state I should turn to the Word, so he can speak to me words of comfort and uplift.
Somehow, he reminded me again about the uplifting power of the word. I sat down and read through the whole of First Peter. And slowly God spoke—through the word about having received the new birth “into a living hope…into an inheritance that can never perish…kept in heaven for you” And about “imperishable seed through the living and enduring word of God.”
And on and on I read Peter’s epistle, full of so much truth and comfort. God spoke through the living and enduring word of God! God changed my attitude. And he has done that innumerable times during my 70 years as a Christian. God speaks to us today—through the Word. We must be people of the Word. We must be daily in the Word. Remember, like the Psalmists, we are often waylaid by our own natures.
Because of warnings about a big storm, we had stayed home. Interestingly, after listening to our church online we almost accidentally tuned in to a discussion between John Lennox and Dr James Tour. Their subject focussed mainly on the way God speaks to us through the Bible. They gave many illustrations from their own lives and that of Bakht Singh and others. Look it up on UTube.
Whether seeking to read the entrails of animals or interpret the stars, mankind has always aspired to the prophetic gift. A yearning to slay fear of an unknown future has energized this search down through the centuries.
The quest for this mystical gift continues today–often dressed up in pseudo-scientific jargon. An article about the work of Dr. Kary Mullis, a California molecular biologist, reports his assertion that, “Genes can ‘see’ child’s future.” Dr. Mullis predicts that in ten years we will be able to read a child’s whole future within a few hours of birth. He claims that the DNA in a single cell contains “everything about the child.”[i] According to Dr. Mullis, all we wait for is the technology to read the future as already encoded in the DNA.
Jean Dixon has been making predictions for years. She supposedly foretold the assassination of John F. Kennedy four years before he was elected President, the death by airplane crash of Dag Hammerskjold as well as the Communist takeover of China. But in a CBC radio show, the Great Randy (Mr. James Randy) talked about the research of the National Inquirer into 364 of her prophecies. They found that only four had come true. The quality of these four was of the order of, for instance, there will be a “great medical breakthrough this year,” and “there will be a scandal in Hollywood this year.”[ii]
Some modern evangelicals seem to hunger after prophecy. A sincere young man in a congregation I was pastoring startled me by claiming that I was hindering the Spirit by not encouraging prophecy. Quoting from First Thessalonians, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire, do not treat prophecies with contempt,” he explained that I was hindering the Spirit by discouraging “a word of prophecy.” Fortunately discussion and prayer led this young man to moderate his evaluation. But the pressure to seek a fresh and “authentic” word from God in the form of “a word of prophecy,” continues to increase.
Pentecostal and charismatic circles, particularly, face this challenge. Let me say at the outset that I view most charismatics as fellow evangelicals. J.I. Packer spent considerable time seeking to ascertain just what charismatics meant by prophecy. He concluded: “By prophecy I mean the receiving and relaying of what purports to be a divine message. Prophecy is a regular feature of charismatic fellowship. The usual beliefs about it are (1) that it is a direct revelation from God of thoughts in his mind, which otherwise would not be known; (2) that it frequently includes specific directions by God, concerning his plans for the future; (3) that its proper verbal form is that of Old Testament oracles, in which the one who speaks is regularly God himself; and (4) that it was a sign gift in the apostolic church, which, with the other sign gifts, was in abeyance in the church from the mid-patristic era till the twentieth century. But all of this is doubtful.”[iii]
Most of our charismatic friends believe that God continues to issue revelations. However, belief that God has continued to reveal himself in prophecy has been rarely held in church history. It has been confined mainly to the fringes of orthodox faith. The term Quakers use for continuing revelation is inner light. George Fox, founder of Quakerism, taught that Christ continues to bring revelations directly to the hearts of his people.[iv]
Throughout history consensus about prophecy and revelation has ruled the theology of main-line Christians. The vast majority agreed that the gift of prophecy is NOT an endowment through which God inspires new revelations. This unanimity has generally continued among traditional evangelicals and reformed believers.
There consensus ceases and a variety of opinions proliferates. Does the gift of prophecy continue in any sense? Calvin believed that prophecy continues, not as ability to foretell the future, “But the science of interpreting Scriptures, so that a prophet is an interpreter of the Will of God.”[v]
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C.H. Spurgeon, on the other hand, believed that the gift ceased. In his view prophets occupied a peculiar office. They served as “link between the glories of the Old and New Testament.”[vi] J.I. Packer believes that prophecy as revelation has ceased but that the prophetic ministry continues in prophetic preaching.[vii]
Modern confusion about prophetic revelations, has even spread to reformed circles. Anthony Coppin writes about attendance at a Reformed and Renewed Pastor’s Conference in Hertfordshire, England in an article, “Life in the Spirit.” He was obviously taken aback by the charismatic practices and beliefs he saw there. He reports that Bernard Thompson, one of the leaders of the conference, describes prophecy as, “startling and a little frightening. We can,” he tells us, “claim inspiration but not inerrance for words of revelation which Spirit-baptized believers bring!”[viii]
This confusing new definition of inspiration and revelation departs violently from the traditional view. Traditionally, (upon solid biblical grounds) revelation has been considered inerrant. How could a product of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit be otherwise? It is unthinkable to attribute error to a process that owes its origin to the superintendence of the perfect God!
All around us fuzzy theological thought is blurring the definitions crystallized after centuries of painstaking biblical research. Christians talk of words of knowledge, prophecies and revelations. They invest these communications with divine authority. They charge those who refuse to acknowledge the authority of these declarations with hindering the Spirit. Those who bring “prophecies” assert that they have the same weight as Scripture because God is their author. On the other hand, as we will see in the next instalment, the proponents of modern day prophecies admit their fallibility. But how can any believer attribute fallibility to a direct word from God? A fuzzy understanding of the implications of these claims pervades the modern charismatic movement, particularly those in the third wave. (The third wave is a term popularized by John Wimber and the Vineyard movement. In their view, the first wave was traditional Pentecostalism, the second, the charismatic movement and the third is a more moderate and generally evangelical movement.)
We face, then, great diversity of opinion about the gift of prophecy. I’ll seek to harmonize Scripture on this gift in the next segment. [Excerpted from Church No Spectator Sport available from Amazon.]
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
[i] Marilyn Dunlop, Article, Toronto Star, May 2, 1987
[ii] Radio Program, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Toronto, May 29, 1987
[iii] J.I. Packer, Keep In Step With The Spirit, Old Tappan, N.J.: Fleming H. Revell, 1984, p. 215
[iv] George Fox,”Christ is come to teach his people himself,” Christopher Rule writes that; “Fox sometimes seemed to think himself infallible . . . . He advised a woman not to tell Parliament that the King would be restored, but seemed to have accepted it as true prophecy. He also said he had premonitions of Cromwell’s death and the fire of London, but his Journal was written years later. Hindsight can change the perspective . . . .”George Fox and Early Quakerism, Ariticle in Reformation Today, Number 95, p. 15
A serious Christian is a praying Christian. But what do we pray about? Everything, of course. But shouldn’t we have specific requests in mind? The Lord’s prayer gives us six categories that include worship, the extension of God’s kingdom, the embracing of His will, the meeting of our daily needs, the forgiving of our sins and our deliverance from temptation. Besides these important categories, we will also want to intercede for the people and ministries we know.
Unless our memory is as prodigious as the apostle Paul’s, that means writing out a list. Somehow, although he had never been to Rome, Paul lists 35 different people plus their households in his Roman epistle! Unfortunately, my memory is not like his.
For decades I’ve used a series of prayer cards combined with prayer lists sent from various organizations to guide me in prayer. On each card I have space for one day of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on. Some cards list family members, reminding me, for example to pray for 3 grandchildren on Mondays. Then I have cards for various other categories: cards listing relatives, missionaries I know, churches where I’ve ministered, unsaved friends who need the Lord, and organizations needing prayer.
But from time to time, going through my list becomes mechanical, almost like spinning a Buddhist prayer wheel. Bless Joe. Be with Mary. Encourage Sam. Provide for Grace Mission. Amen. And sometimes, I’ve caught myself speeding through the list with the unconscious goal of getting through quickly so I could move on to other “productive’ work. Surely, praying like that is useless.
Should the problems we encounter with a prayer list lead us to abandon the practice? After all, God looks on the heart and He values that which is genuine and passionately felt. Empty ritual, as we see again and again in the prophets, arouses God’s anger. Then, why not just leave our prayer life open to daily bursts of spontaneity?
That may be okay for the angels who cry holy, holy, holy in His presence or for perfect saints but I find myself in neither category. My memory is flawed and my discipline needs a continual upgrade. I suspect that, for many, out of sight is out of mind. Failure to have any kind of prayer list will leave those who are not intimately involved in our lives the target of our prayer only when their Christmas card or missionary letter arrives. This leaves missionaries especially vulnerable—at a time when the missionary prayer meeting has almost disappeared.
Perhaps the answer is to mix spontaneity with discipline. Have a detailed prayer list but ask the Holy Spirit to keep us daily open to spontaneity. Allow our daily Bible reading to guide us during the first part of our prayer time. Then pause with each item on our list and ask the Spirit to impress on our hearts what particular issues need prayer. Praying through our prayer list while stuck in traffic can be a great boon. Sometimes, we need to set our list aside and become open to pressing issues in world affairs, troubles in a friends’ life or challenges at church.
Whatever we do, let’s not give up praying for people and organizations that don’t show up on our daily radar. For that we probably need a list.
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books, including Doctrine in Denim, are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
“I would like to make an exchange,” said Buddy pulling a kitten from his jacket.
Mr. Jennison turned from his position between the rabbits and the hamsters to face Buddy. “An exchange?”
“Yes, sir,” said Buddy. “I don’t like cats. Mind you, if I did, this would be a very nice kitty.”
“Sorry, young man, but we don’t exchange pets.”
“But you must. My grandpa bought it here. He told me.”
Mr Jennison knelt down to look Buddy in the eye. “I’m sure he did . . . but you see we don’t exchange pets . . . we never have.”
A tear trickled down Buddy’s cheek. “I wanted a puppy . . .like . . . like that one over there.” He pointed to a tiny black ball of fur.
“I’m sure if you give this kitty a chance,” said Mr. Jennison, “you’ll really learn to love it.”
“Oh, I already love it. I just don’t like it—it’s a cat. “Buddy’s voice rose. “Every boy needs a dog . . . to follow him, an to sleep under his bed . . .to play with. My daddy had one when he was a boy.”
Mr. Jennison just knelt there with his mouth open. He didn’t know what to say.
(Let me know your thoughts on this story. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
Throughout December we hear uncounted replays of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. You know the one, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know.” Now, I must admit that I love to wake up Christmas morning to a blanket of white covering field and forest. The season brings a certain nostalgia as Christmas cards start arriving picturing idealized villages deep in snow, kids skating on frozen ponds, and sleighs drawn by high stepping horses. In our part of the world we expect a snowy Christmas. Even south in Florida and across the globe in Australia and Fiji it’s part of the mythology of Christmas.
But some Christmases are green. Temperatures stay well above freezing, balmy enough that some Torontonians can play tennis. Maybe that’s not a bad thing—reminding us to get back to the real history behind the myth. The story behind the fairy tales of Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer—the truth beyond the tinsel and trees, the feasting and buying. Merchants tell us that they sell more at Christmas than at any other time of the year. Anyone who has tried to find a parking space at a mall during December will have to agree. Christmas means crowds of frequently grumpy people thronging the shops.
Was the first Christmas green? Does it snow in Bethlehem? Rarely. We do know that there were no crowds around the manger. God chose only about twelve or so people to participate in the original miracle. Most of the relatives and neighbors of Mary and Joseph had no idea what was happening. The religious leaders took no note of the birth of this child until foreign visitors arrived. King Herod and the political establishment missed the event that would separate history into AD and BC time. The innkeepers of Bethlehem were too busy counting their coins to notice another arrival, even if the woman was heavy with child.
Very few had a clue that history would never be the same. Fifteen months before the birth of Christ, an angel informed Elizabeth and Zechariah that their son John would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. That makes two who had an inkling. An angel also announced to Mary about the birth of Jesus and explained to Joseph about his miraculous birth. On the night of his birth an angel gave the news to two or three shepherds followed by an angelic choir singing glory to God. That makes six or seven. Eight days after his birth God moved Simeon and Anna to celebrate the arrival of a Savior. That makes eight or nine included in the drama. Almost a year later the Magi arrived. Although the text does not specify that there were three wise men, we know there must have been at least two. If we add up all the participants, we find that God specifically chose eleven or twelve people to take part in the most astounding event in history—the incarnation of the Son of God.
Why so few? These 12 had something in common. Although a young woman, Mary could say, “my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”[1] Joseph “was a righteous man” who did not want to expose Mary “to public disgrace.”[2] Elizabeth and Zechariah “were upright in the sight of God observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.”[3] Simeon “was righteous and devout.”[4] Anna “worshipped night and day.”[5] The text reveals nothing about the character or habits of the shepherds. However, the speed with which they went to find the baby and the way they left “glorifying and praising God” leads me to believe they were very sensitive to God. The Magi undertook a lengthy and dangerous journey with the express purpose of worshipping Christ.[6]
These 12 participants are linked by their spiritual sensitivity. They were conscientious worshippers—devout seekers after God. They were all God-centred.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”[7] Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that the purity mentioned here denotes singleness of vision and freedom from defilement. By singleness of vision, he means a focus on God—a God-centeredness. This clear vision of God leads the pure in heart to embrace what is good and true and holy—to flee defilement of any kind. In the grubby world in which we live such purity is rare. Those who treasure such purity see beyond the tinsel and trappings of Christmas—they see God. Will we see God this Christmas?
Father purify my heart that I might feel again some of the wonder of the incarnation. Cleanse me from any defilement. Lord, I know you are not a cosmic kill-joy out to spoil our celebrations, but please help me to keep from being distracted by all the holiday hype that drowns out the true music of Christmas.
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
Country Inspiration 